Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 1139 – I Want to Go to Xuelao City

Gou Hanshi was quiet for a while, and then he said, “I know who he is.”

Liang Hongzhuang was Liang Wangsun’s younger brother, and he had another, more secretive, relationship with the Mount Li Sword Sect: he was a relative of Liang Banhu and Liang Xiaoxiao.

Neither Chen Changsheng nor Gou Hanshi said anything, causing the stone chamber to sink into silence.

Just like they had discussed earlier, they might suffer unexpected losses this time. Some of the people who they thought shouldn’t have died so soon… would die.

Liang Hongzhuang was this sort of person. He was an important figure of the Liang Estate and was also a Star Condensation expert.

The war had not been going on for too long, and based on past experiences, it was far from reaching its most desperate phase, but he had still ended up dying.

Chen Changsheng had met Liang Hongzhuang three times and they had only exchanged several dozen sentences. They couldn’t be described as acquaintances, but he still knew who he was.

There were still many people he knew on the battlefield: Tang Thirty-Six, Linghai Zhiwang, and the students and teachers of the Orthodox Academy like Chu Wenbin. And there was her.

But Gou Hanshi also knew many people on the battlefield: Guan Feibai, Liang Banhu, Bai Cai, his martial uncles of the Sword Hall, and many of his comrades from the south.

“My apologies. It shouldn’t be up to you to persuade me,” Chen Changsheng said to Gou Hanshi.

Gou Hanshi replied, “You’ve probably guessed that it was Yourong who wanted me to tell you this.”

Chen Changsheng looked at the string of stone pearls on his wrist and said, “She could have just said it to me herself.”

……

……

The previous Governor of Xunyang City, Feng Guijun, had once worried over whether they could last the entire night in this battle with the demons, whether they could see the sun rise tomorrow.

Reality proved that he was worrying too much.

His troops weren’t even able to resist the first wave. Right when the night began, those insane demon soldiers broke through their defenses.

There were truly too many demon soldiers.

In the starlight, they saw the black tide charge over the plains, and he and every other human soldier mentally groaned.

Liang Hongzhuang did not groan, and his face held no fear. He did not whistle or shout, and he did not sing a valorous song. He just set about attacking that black tide.

Reality similarly proved that the courageous were often well-rewarded.

Reinforcements promptly arrived. The cavalry led by Divine General Peng Shihai succeeded in altering the course of the entire battle, rescuing these soldiers who had bitterly defended this place for two days and two nights.

Desperate battles were taking place all over the plains, with everyone fighting for themselves. That this place could receive reinforcements naturally had to do with the important people here.

Although the Imperial Court had sent him to his death, the Imperial Court was not willing to see the Governor of Xunyang City die so early, and certainly not Liang Hongzhuang.

The bonfires were lit once more, their flames shining over meadows.

The demon soldiers had already lost their intelligence, so there was no need to worry about sneak attacks.

The surviving soldiers huddled around the bonfires, their blood-drenched faces devoid of emotion.

Ten-some white ceremonial robes fluttered amongst the grass. These beautiful white flowers attracted the gazes of many people.

The teachers and students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green were searching for any lucky survivors. They had medicines with them to provide urgent treatment, and the clear light of the Sacred Light technique could occasionally be spotted.

Alas, in this desperate war, it was very difficult to find too many wounded. The grass was covered in the corpses of human soldiers.

Even at the end, no one had been able to find Liang Hongzhuang.

When the previous Governor of Xunyang City, Feng Guijun, was found, his body was covered in blood and his face dazed. He was dejectedly muttering to himself.

“Why, why… you didn’t need to, no, you didn’t…”

No one understood what he wanted to say, nor did anyone know what had made him like this.

Feng Guijun clearly remembered what had happened just a few moments ago.

Raising his metal spear, Liang Hongzhuang had charged into the black mass of demon soldiers, quickly vanishing into its depths.

After living like a prince for so many years, he truly was very afraid. He wanted nothing more than to turn and run, but his experiences from the last few days told him that the demon soldiers were now true beasts, lacking any capacity to reason. If they were not completely killed, they would continue chasing.

And besides, he was still Governor of Xunyang City.

…The former Governor of Xunyang City.

He was a general now.

He yelled and led the surrounding soldiers in attacking the demon soldiers.

He basically forgot what happened after that. He only remembered waving his blade, falling and climbing back up. At the start he could still feel the pain from his body, but he even began to grow numb to that. He just felt like the blade in his hand was getting heavier and heavier along with his breathing.

Just when he had reached his breaking point, when he wanted to stop caring and go to sleep, he suddenly heard a sound in the distance.

Reinforcements were here!

His mind reinvigorated, he squeezed out the last bit of his strength to charge toward the perimeter, only to descend into despair.

Several dozen demon soldiers were charging out from the darkness there, their 人-shaped mouths dripping with stinking saliva, their eyes red.

Just when he thought that he and his fellow soldiers were doomed, he saw a person amongst the demon soldiers.

Liang Hongzhuang stood up, his body tottering as he leaned on his spear.

Feng Guijun wanted to yell at Liang Hongzhuang to run, but he found himself unable to speak.

Liang Hongzhuang didn’t run.

He had chosen self-combustion.

His Ethereal Palace connected with the true essence in all of his one hundred and eight Qi openings, causing it all to spurt out at once.

A silver firework illuminated the plains.

Scorching and sacred star radiance instantly tore apart the bodies of the demon soldiers.

To cultivators, this was the most miserable way to die, the most painful farewell.

……

……

“You didn’t need to. It’s just a death.

“I didn’t even say that I wasn’t willing to die, so why put yourself through so much pain?”

Feng Guijun dejectedly sat on the grass.

“General Feng?”

A woman dressed in white walked up to him.

A curtained hat obscured her face, also somewhat muffling her voice.

Feng Guijun ignored her.

There was a glint of black light.

Feng Guijun’s palm was pierced by a black hairpin, leaving a delicate hole.

Conveniently, the pain finally succeeded in rousing him from his daze, but it did not make him shout.

Still under the starlight, he did not see a black tide of demon soldiers, but an incomparably beautiful face. It shocked him all the same.

“It’s… my lady?”

Feng Guijun spoke in a trembling voice, and then he began to cry.

“My lady should have saved him!”

The woman ignored his words, indifferently saying, “Congratulations. You now have two choices. You have already proved your courage in battle and your sins have been redeemed. You can return to Xunyang City. Of course, you can no longer be the governor, but you can live as an ordinary commoner.”

Slightly puzzled, Feng Guijun asked, “The second option is?”

The woman replied, “You can stay here. Once your wounds are healed, you will rejoin the army and continue north.”

Feng Guijun said nothing for a very long time.

Any person would know which of these two options to choose.

An hour ago, he would have easily made a choice.

Now, however, it was excruciatingly difficult.

He knew that this woman was not deceiving him, because she disdained to do such things.

“I choose the second option.”

His voice trembled. He was clearly still fearful and uneasy.

The woman was rather surprised. “Why?”

Feng Guijun raised his head and earnestly asked her, “I hear that there are operas in Xuelao City?”

The woman nodded.

Feng Guijun replied, “I want to go and listen and find out just how it is different from the styles of the Jin clan of Luling or the Orangewater Tent.”

……

……

Feng Guijun was sent with the other heavily injured who had been found to the major camp to the south for treatment.

When they recovered, they could choose to rejoin the army or go back home.

But the teachers and students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green remained on the battlefield, continuing to search for the wounded and treat their wounds.

Sometimes, the faint aroma of herbs would obscure the scent of blood and rotting flesh.

The most calming of all were still those streams of Sacred Light.

This labor lasted until the sun rose.

No matter how serious their injuries were, as long as these women found them, they could be treated. At times, it was practically a miracle.

There was a break in the battle.

The demon soldiers in a radius of a hundred-some li had all been killed.

The vanguard settled down to reconsolidate. Strangely, however, other than the Red Falcons headed toward the major camp, there were also many Red Falcons landing in the grass, and after noon, there were also many messenger horses.

A piece of news gradually began to spread through the tens of thousands of soldiers.

The Holy Maiden was walking amongst the plains.

……

……

Xu Yourong walked through the plains.

Wherever she passed, golden flames would burn the rotting bodies of the demon soldiers into smoke.

Since her identity was revealed, there was naturally no need to keep concealing it.

A gentle breeze swept away the smoke, leaving the plains clear and bright once more.

Ten-some cavalrymen were waiting in front of her.

To her sides, soldiers kneeled on the plains. Even the wounded had struggled up to kneel, their faces brimming with piety and happiness at their good fortune.

To have been personally treated by the Holy Maiden, how many lives would they need in order to repay this blessing?

The cavalry who had arrived from various places represented the wills of many Divine Generals as well as several prestigious figures from the capital.

They were all messengers who wanted to urge Xu Yourong to hurry back to the capital.

The most important reason was naturally her safety.

Everyone knew that the Holy Maiden had the blood of the Heavenly Phoenix and was a true cultivating genius. Although she was young, she was already half a step from the Divine.

But this place was a battlefield full of death and slaughter. Without the Pope at her side, her presence made people feel uneasy.

Another important reason was that the South Stream Temple sword array was not with her.

The disciples of South Stream Temple were also not at the major camp to the south. They were at the even farther and far more important Central Army camp, tasked with the duty of protecting the commander of the northern expedition.

The cavalrymen kneeled and implored the Holy Maiden to quickly return to the capital.

Xu Yourong did not even glance at them. She took a letter from a disciple of South Stream Temple.

This disciple had traveled here overnight. Terribly fatigued, she immediately sat down and began to meditate. One could imagine just how important this letter was.

This letter came from the Central Army camp. It did not come from the commander, nor did it have any relation to the capital. It had been written by Ye Xiaolian.

The South Stream Temple sword array protecting the Central Army camp was under her command. For this reason, she knew many secrets.

Of course, it could not be ruled out that several important figures had used her to communicate some information to Xu Yourong.

……

……

Many important people, including those Divine Generals, had always known that the Holy Maiden was on the battlefield.

In the previous days of bitter battle, she had led the teachers and students of the Thirteen Divisions of Radiant Green, rushing off to the various battlefields, saving the lives of countless soldiers.

Why was it that these important individuals had not exposed this matter earlier, but were standing up today and imploring her to return to the capital for her safety?

The explanation given in Ye Xiaolian’s letter was that Xu Yourong had saved too many wounded today.

In order to save all those people teetering on the verge of death, she could not have relied on the Sacred Light technique alone. The Holy Maiden had undoubtedly used that medicine.

She had also probably used that medicine in the last few days, but she had not used too much, so they had been able to endure it.

She had used too much today, so they had no longer been able to stand it. They requested that she leave.

In truth, they all believed that the authority to distribute this medicine should never have been hers. The Holy Maiden viewed everyone in the world with compassion. She would pay any price to save the wounded before her. But if this medicine was used up on ordinary soldiers, what would happen if a Divine General was wounded? If a prince was about to die?

This sounded very callous, but this was the battlefield, this was a war. The distribution of any resource needed to be regulated. Life and death were decreed by fate, but they absolutely had different weights to them.

There had been no war in these last few years, so the Li Palace had removed the rules on the monthly distribution of the Cinnabar Pill. A simple mathematical operation was enough to determine just how many Cinnabar Pills had been saved up.

The right to distribute the Cinnabar Pills rested in the Li Palace’s hands, but the actual distribution should have required a consultation with the generals on the front line.

In times of peace, the collected will of the powerful figures these cavalrymen represented would not have been able to shake her. But this was a time of war, and the status of the army was rising higher and higher. Moreover, the attempts of the generals were reasonable from a certain viewpoint, and they had also accorded her sufficient respect.

What sort of answer would she give?

Xu Yourong slowly stretched out her hand and took off her curtained hat, revealing her perfect face.

The plains fell silent.

Only the South Stream Temple disciple standing nearby could see the exhaustion on her face.

She gazed at those cavalrymen.

A cool breeze blew across the long grass of the plains, rustling them with a sound like the crashing of waves.